Several leading international human rights organisations have condemned Pakistani authorities for a violent crackdown on peaceful protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), citing an internet shutdown, mass arbitrary arrests, and the deadly use of force. The condemnations, issued on 10 June, describe the situation as an alarming deterioration of human rights in the region.

What Triggered the Crisis

The unrest follows the Pakistani authorities' decision to declare the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) a proscribed organisation under anti-terrorism laws, ahead of its planned protest on 9 June. Deadly clashes subsequently erupted between law enforcement personnel and protesters in Rawalakot city, with reports of several people killed and hundreds injured.

According to the International Human Rights Foundation (IHRF), more than 25 people — including a woman — were killed by Pakistani security forces in PoK between 8 and 9 June. The IHRF described the banning of a civil society body as 'terrorist' on vague grounds, while simultaneously sealing the region from outside scrutiny, as 'a disproportionate and unlawful violation of the right to freedom of association.'

Amnesty International's Findings

Amnesty International called on Pakistani authorities to immediately de-escalate the situation, exercise restraint, and adhere strictly to international standards on the use of force — stressing that force must be used only as a last resort, in line with the principles of necessity and proportionality.

Isabelle Lassee, Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director for South Asia, said: 'Branding a grassroots organisation as "terrorist" on vague grounds, while simultaneously cutting the region off from the outside world, raises serious concerns regarding the Pakistani authorities' conduct and their disregard for human rights. The proscription of JKJAAC under anti-terror laws is disproportionate, unlawful and a violation of the right to freedom of association.'

Amnesty International separately documented the case of JKJAAC activist Shahzeb Habib, who was shot during a police encounter on the night of 5 June after officers stopped the vehicle in which he was travelling with JKJAAC member Umar Nazir Kashmiri. Habib subsequently succumbed to his injuries. Amnesty International stated he did not pose an imminent threat of death or serious injury to the officers at the time.

The Rawalakot Clashes

People gathered outside the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Rawalakot on 7 June, where Habib's body had been brought for a post-mortem. Clashes erupted later that day between law enforcement and protesters. Citing police figures, Amnesty International reported that as many as eight protesters and four police officers were killed in those clashes.

Lassee called for an independent inquiry into the alleged extrajudicial killing of Shahzeb Habib, a thorough investigation into the unlawful killings of protesters in Rawalakot, and accountability for those responsible in line with international human rights standards.

A Recurring Pattern

The IHRF expressed grave concern over what it described as a recurring pattern of crackdowns on JKJAAC-led protests, pointing to deadly violence in May 2024 and October 2025 as prior instances. 'Without prompt corrective action, the authorities risk further loss of life and a complete erosion of fundamental rights in the region,' the organisation warned.

With international scrutiny intensifying and the internet reportedly still restricted in parts of PoK, pressure on Islamabad to allow independent access and launch credible investigations is expected to mount in the days ahead.